Infrastructure bill includes billions for broadband
Read Time 3 MinutesThe “Fact Sheet” from the White House Briefing Room outlines the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal which includes Ensuring every American has access to reliable high-speed internet.
“Broadband internet is necessary for Americans to do their jobs, to participate equally in school learning, health care, and to stay connected”, reads the Fact Sheet. “Yet, by one definition, more than 30 million Americans live in areas where there is no broadband infrastructure that provides minimally acceptable speeds – a particular problem in rural communities throughout the country. And, according to the latest OECD data, among 35 countries studied, the United States has the second highest broadband costs.”
The Briefing Room document continues, “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will deliver $65 billion to help ensure that every American has access to reliable high-speed internet through a historic investment in broadband infrastructure deployment. The legislation will also help lower prices for internet service and help close the digital divide, so that more Americans can afford internet access.”
Axios’ Margaret Harding McGill reports further on the the infrastructure bill heading to President Biden’s desk which included $65 billion to improve high-speed internet access and affordability. See her report below.
Why it matters: The pandemic proved the necessity of connectivity to participate in daily American life, and Biden’s administration acknowledged that by including this funding in the infrastructure package.
By the numbers: The funding is aimed towards building high-speed internet networks, helping low-income families pay for service and digital equity programs.
- $42.45 billion in grants to states for broadband projects, which can range from network deployment to data collection to help determine areas that lack service.
- $14.2 billion to provide $30 per month to low-income Americans for internet service. It will replace a $50-a-month Emergency Broadband Benefit program, offering less money monthly, but increasing the number of those eligible.
- $2.75 billion for digital inclusion and equity projects, such as improving digital literacy or online skills for seniors.
- $4 billion for rural broadband construction programs.
- $1 billion to build “middle mile” infrastructure to connect local providers to larger internet access points.
- $600 million for private activity bonds to finance broadband deployment projects in rural areas.
Between the lines: Early fears from cable and telecom companies that Biden’s broadband plan would lead to government-backed competitors in their service footprints or price regulation went unrealized.
The intrigue: The power player on broadband funding will be the Commerce Department, because its telecom division has a key oversight role in how the $42.45 billion in state funding will be spent.
Holly Borgmann, Vice President, Government Affairs at ADT stated that, “The federal government recently approved an unprecedented amount of funding to increase access to fast, reliable broadband. This money will help build out new Internet networks in rural communities, boost the data capacity of existing networks, increase the number of low-income households eligible for help with their broadband bills, and fund digital literacy and inclusion efforts.” She continued by saying, “South Florida’s tech-led businesses rely on robust Internet service to connect their businesses, employees and customers to one another, and South Florida’s tech workers and aspiring tech workers need access to world class broadband to compete for the jobs of today and tomorrow, many of which have gone at least partially remote.”
*Information sourced from Axios.com. in this article posted Nov 8, 2021 and the White House Briefing Room Fact Sheet here posted Nov 6, 2021.
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Holly Borgmann, VP of Gov’t Affairs @ ADT, and Sheela VanHoose, Partner @ The Southern Group, both Co-Chair the Tech Hub Policy Committee. The direction of the policy committee is to have more of a platform instead of lobbying for actual legislation. These are the points that the committee has developed:
- Uniform national data privacy policy
- Robust, affordable broadband access
- State local funding for incentives to bring companies to region
- Computer science education (for students and teachers)
- Affordable credentials programs/training
- Safe harbor for data breaches if data stored in keeping with best practices
- Workforce housing
- Immigration investor visas for start-ups
If you are a Tech Hub Corporate Member and would like to learn more about getting involved, please email team@techhubsouthflorida.org
